"I survived only a year in Berkeley, partly because I declined to sign the anticommunist loyalty oath"

Jack Steinberger's quote shows the political climate of the 1950s, when the United States remained in the middle of the Red Scare and the McCarthy era. During this time, many universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, required trainees to sign a commitment oath affirming that they were not members of the Communist Party. Steinberger's refusal to sign this oath likely caused his departure from Berkeley after just one year. His quote serves as a suggestion of the oppressive environment of the time, when people were expected to comply with the federal government's political views or face consequences. It also speaks to Steinberger's nerve and dedication to his beliefs, as he was willing to risk his education in order to stand up for what he thought in.